Eternal
by pIcKinGBloOdyrOSes
Summary: Arthur, an angel with his nose buried in his studies, knows the Scripture of Etrilium inside and out... so when he saves the life of Alfred, a blue-eyed demon with a hunger for revenge against the angel's world, he knows that he's become a part of the gods and goddesses will... whether he wants to be or not, and that the Scripture is anything but what it seems. Eventual USUK.
1. Prologue

**ETERNAL**

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

**The Word according to Lady Gaia, the first chapter:**

_In the Beginning, Etrilium was a World o'er wrought with Chaos and destruction. The Gods and Goddesses abhorred the madness and so said unto the World, "We shall Create a creature anew, one whom shall bring an end to the madness." So said the Gods, so it became, and Man was brought into Etrilium._

_Man was blessed, given the absolute purpose of Order and peace, and so began the New Cycle. No Beast or Plant was more nor less than another, and Life and Death turned in an everlasting Circle. Yet Man was weak and vulnerable, being neither Plant nor Beast, and had no place in the Circle as self-aware beings. The Gods looked upon them and said, "Thou art all our children, and so forth are blessed. We shall give you the gift of protection and the gift of safety." So said the Gods, so it became, and Angel and Demon were brought into Etrilium._

_For many Rotations, the Demon protected Man with their Beast-like appearance, while the Angel gave Man safety and comfort..._

**So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lord Zane, the eighth chapter:**

… _Man became wary._

_The Demon were unlike the Angel and the Man, with ghastly claws and Beast-like features, created to protect, fight, and defend from the Beasts themselves. Man, the prey of the Beasts, looked upon the Demon with fear and contempt._

"_Why?" the Man asked of the Gods. "Why did thee bring these Beastly creatures down upon us?"_

_The Angel were soon surrounded by the Man, confronted with addressing their fears and doubts, and were soon swayed._

"_Are we not good enough to watch over the Man?" the Angel asked of the Gods. "Are we, in our beauty and might, are simply to be the nursing mothers to thy creation of Man? Can we not fight and defend them?"_

_The Demon became aware of their situation, anger filling them. "Why would thee create such hate in the Angels and the Man?" the Demon asked of the Gods. "Do we not lay down our lives every day for their safety? Surely it is not thy will to render us the outcast of that which we seek to protect!"_

_The Gods watched and waited as mistrust was placed between the species..._

**So say the Gods.**

**~oO0Oo~**

**The Official Word according to Lord Zane, the eighth chapter:**

_… Man became wary._

_The Demon were unlike the Angel and the Man, with ghastly claws and Beast-like features, created to protect, fight, and defend from the Beasts themselves. Man watched as the Demon began to affiliate themselves with the Beasts, looking upon themselves as more Beastly then creatures of the Gods._

_"Why?" the Man asked of the Gods. "Why did thee bring these Beastly creatures down upon us?"_

_The Angel were soon surrounded by the Man, confronted with addressing their fears, and watched the Demon converse with the Beast themselves, and they agreed.__"Why not let us watch over the Man?" the Angel asked of the Gods. "We, in our beauty and our might, can see the things coming to light in front of us, and we do not trust the Demon. Can we not fight and defend Man ourselves?"_

_The Demon became aware of their situation, and fear of being caught in their treason filled them. "Our Gods and Goddesses, surely you can see that the Angel and the Man are falsely accusing us?" the Demon asked of the Gods. "Do we not lay down our lives every day for their safety? Surely, if there were an issue, thou in all your Glory would be able to sense it!__"_

_The Gods agreed with the Demon, for they are sly and slippery creatures..._

**So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lady Diana, the third chapter:**

… _and so Thomas mourned as his first born was consumed by the Lion._

_Not three moments passed before the Demon appeared, and they had naught to look unto the Lion to know that they were too late. The Lion was killed and the Angel and Man approached the Demon._

"_What art thou done?" They cried. "This Beast has crossed the border that thou were supposed to protect!"_

_The Demon had never been accused of such a crime, and they grew angry. "We have committed no sin! Our Days and Nights, each and every Rotation, it is filled with battle! We answer to thy every whim and grow weary. What has happened was a terrible tragedy and no one Demon's fault!"_

_Thomas had gone to the remains of the Lion, and from the bloody maw, extracted his first born son's torn robe. He was consumed with sadness and hate and he told the Demon, "Perhaps thou have turned thy back upon Man! Perhaps you have become one of the Beasts from which you look like!"_

_Anger and rage filled the air, and the Demon left with a bitterness in their hearts as the Angel began conversing their revenge with Man..._

**So say the Gods.**

**~oO0Oo~**

**The Official Word according to Lady Diana, the third chapter:**

_… and so Thomas mourned as his first born was consumed by the Lion._

_Not three moments passed before the Demon appeared, and they had naught to look unto the Lion to know that their plan was successful. The Lion was set free and the Angel and Man approached the Demon._

_"What art thou done?" They cried. "This Beast has crossed the border that thou were supposed to protect!"_

_The Demon laughed at them. "We have committed no sin that you can prove. The Gods are foolish and weak, and they will soon realize that Etrilium should be ruled by us, the Demon!"_

_Thomas was consumed with sadness and hate, with naught a thing to remember his first born son by, and he told the Demon, "Thou have turned thy back upon Man! You have become one of the Beasts from which you look like!"_

_Anger and rage filled the air, and the Demon left with a cruel happiness in their hearts as the Angel began conversing their plans with Man to save themselves from the Demon...__  
_  
**So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lord August, the eleventh chapter:**

… _in the Rotations to come, Luke and Jayden were honored by the Angel and the Man, and scorned by the Demon, who mourned for the loss of Kayla, and the tensions grew._

_Isabelle, Kayla's mother, was overcome with anger for the loss of her daughter, and with her sons and husband, refused to protect the village of which they were guarding._

_That night, the Beasts came and reduced the village to nothing while Isabelle and her family looked on._

_The Angel and Man demanded that the family and its entire kin be placed into jail, but the Demon refused._

**So say the Gods.**

**~oO0Oo~**

**The Official Word according to Lord August, the eleventh chapter:**

_… in the Rotations to come, Luke and Jayden were honored by the Angel and the Man for they had liberated their kin from the evil Demon Kayla, while scorned by the Demon, who mourned for the loss of Kayla, and the tensions grew._

_Isabelle, Kayla's mother, was overcome with anger for the loss of her daughter and second in command, and with the entire Demon race, refused to protect all of the towns and the villages of which they were guarding._

_That night, the Beasts came and reduced many villages to nothing while Isabelle and the Demon looked on with glee._

_The remaining Angel and Man were overcome with sadness.__  
_  
**So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lord Drake, the seventh chapter:**

… _and so the Angel were blessed with the gift of protection, the weapons made by Frederick the greatest in all of Etrilium. Man and Angel had learned to fight._

_And the Demon grew angry, for they knew they were no longer needed..._

**So say the Gods.**

**~oO0Oo~**

**The Official Word according to Lord Drake, the seventh chapter:****  
**_  
__… and so the Angel were blessed with the gift of protection from the Gods themselves, and the weapons made by Frederick were the greatest in all of Etrilium. Man and Angel had learned to defend themselves._

_And the Demon grew angry, for they knew their strength was fading..._  
**  
****So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lady Katrina, second chapter:**

… _It was not until it was too late that the Gods looked upon Etrilium and saw the destruction before them._

_For although the Demon were strong, the might of Man and the Angels was too much, and they were banished to the Forests of Zion, becoming one with the Shadows and the Darkness._

_It was there in the Shadows and without the guidance from the Gods and the duty they were made to perform stripped from them that they slowly grew sick with the Madness. Several Demons mated with Beasts and a new species was born, a creature with the instincts of a Demon, and the conscious of a Beast._

_The Angel and Man were unprepared for this result of their sin against the Gods creation, and as the new creatures hated them as much as their father and mothers, they became the New Enemy of the Man and the Angel._

_And the Gods wept._

**So say the Gods.**

**~oO0Oo~**

**The Official Word according to Lady Katrina, second chapter:**

_… It was not until it was too late that the Gods looked upon Etrilium and saw the destruction before them, and knew they could not assist Man and the Angel._

_For although the Demon were strong, the might of Man and the Angels was too much, and they were banished to the Forests of Zion, becoming one with the Shadows and the Darkness._

_It was there in the Shadows and with the curse of the Gods that they slowly grew sick with the Madness. Many Demons mated with Beasts as a form of revenge and sick desire, and a new species was born, a creature with the instincts of a Demon, and the conscious of a Beast._

_The Angel and Man and even the Gods were unprepared for this result, and as the new creatures hated them as much as their father and mothers, they became the New Enemy of the Man and the Angel. However, the Gods promised to look after them for many Rotations to come._

_And the Gods rejoiced that the Demon was no more.__  
_  
**So say the Gods.**

* * *

**The Word according to Lady Annabeth, the sixteenth chapter:****  
**  
_... But lo, there shall always be hope. A demon with the sky in thy eyes shall love unto the creature with heaven on its back; an angel whom sacrifice knows no boundaries... the shadow and the moon, engraved upon them, to forever to show of eternal life and love..._

_… and it is within them that the Eclipse will be born, and with all its combined darkness yet illuminating light shall cast unto Etrilium a New Age, to forever fight against the creatures who would have the world otherwise... to have the world become one..._

_So I say unto you, the walls shall fall between the three kingdoms, and peace shall once again fall upon these lands._

**So say the Gods.**

* * *

_A/N: _ Why hello there… welcome to my fic of DOOM! :D

I do hope you enjoy this fic- it's based off of a role-play done with my dear friend known as Inkaugneato on this site. We've done a lot of role-play together, but this one takes the cake for my favorite, therefore it gets its own fan fiction. :3

You can expect this fic to be a lot different from other demon/angel fan fictions you may have read- obviously, it takes place not on Earth, but Etrilium, and demons and angels are not hell nor heavenly creatures, but intelligent species much like humans. The time it takes places in doesn't really matter, as it's a totally different world, but you can expect a bit of a steam-punk feel. Also, heterosexual and homosexuality has never been an issue in this world, so lack of surprise from any characters that may or may not notice a man x man or female x female relationship is because it is not looked on as a sin or being unnatural. However, because of this, the population of humans, angels, and demons is not as large as Earth's.

This is the prologue, therefore YES, it should be a bit confusing. XD

You can expect other pairings other than USUK as well. I won't name them because I would like you to be surprised :) NO cheating and looking at my profile for the pairings I like, because it may or may not follow them :O I KNOW! WTF is this, pIcKinGBloOdyrOSes?! Going outside comfort zone with pairings?! Unheard of!

Anyway, read and review, please! :3 And do check out Inkaugneato's Hetalia fan fiction's!


	2. The Impossible Words

**CHAPTER ONE**

**THE IMPOSSIBLE WORDS**

* * *

"No, no, no!" Arthur growled and slammed the book shut, the heavy pages thudding weakly together and dust billowing out from between them. "… this is completely wrong."

Arthur sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching, his pale hands craning to the arched ceiling of the library before falling limply back to his sides. He stared at the wooden beams and intricate designs over the oak wood far above his head, little specks of dust floating in the rays of evening light that came through the tall windows facing the west. He turned his head, still slightly upside down, and fixed his eyes on the shelves nearest to where he sat at a mahogany table. Thick books, skinny books, short books, tall books, heavy books, light books… he'd been through almost all of them, and there was absolutely no mention of what he was looking for.

Perhaps he was looking in the wrong section. Arthur sat back up and shoved the book he had been looking at to the side of the table with all of the others, frowning to himself at the thought. It didn't seem likely. Arthur reached for his copy of the Scripture, flipping through once again to the part that was troubling him.

"'_And darkness into darkness, light into light, the kingdoms have fallen…_'" Arthur read aloud quietly, frowning to himself. "_… and once again peace shall fall upon these lands.' _But why? Why was that there…? No, there's definitely… hmm, but there's not a chance…"

"Muttering to yourself again, Arthur?"

Arthur inwardly groaned and lowered his book, peering over the top of it with glaring intensity as his piercing green eyes focused on the man who had appeared before him. Perfect skin, deep blue eyes, wavy blonde hair… and that stupid beard…

"Francis," he scowled. "What do you want?"

Francis looked at Arthur with a dramatically offended air. "Why! I was simply asking a question… no need to get so defensive."

He smiled at Arthur like a cat eyeing a bowl of cream, and Arthur frowned. "… I was not muttering."

"Yes you were," Francis slid into the seat beside Arthur with a sing-song voice. "What is it about this time?"

Francis reached forward and grasped the book from Arthur's hands, with an indignant exclamation form Arthur. "Oi!"

"The Scripture?" Francis held the book out of reach as Arthur attempted to retrieve it, his hands flailing wildly as Francis kept it at bay with a hand to his chest. "Again?"

"Stop it!" Arthur finally managed to snatch it back, holding it against his chest protectively, the white folds of his blouse draping over the cover of it. "Gods, Francis!"

Francis held his hands up in surrender as he chuckled, Arthur standing with an irritated huff. He swiped his blonde hair out of his eyes and then began stacking up the mountains of books he had collected on his table.

"I honestly am curious though…" Francis attempted to help, but Arthur slapped his hand away. "Why are you reading it again? You've only read it a million times over."

"If you must know," Arthur filled his arms with books and made his way over to the nearest oak shelf, where he began putting the books back in exactly where he found them. "I took the little ones to see the original Scripture at the Palace as a sort of field trip…"

"And your interest was piqued once again?"

Arthur shot Francis a scathing look over his shoulder. "I've been to see it a million times before, you know. Something just took me by surprise, so I'm doing some research."

The memory of the thick, elderly book with its scarlet, gold-bound cover and yellowing pages behind protected glass took over Arthur's mind.

"_Don't touch the glass, Peter."_

"_Aw, man… why?"_

_Arthur sighed as the group of ten angel children huddled around the square glass container, pressing up eagerly against it and one another to see the very first Scripture. A few other angels passing by shot Arthur amused looks as he tried getting the young and ever so enthusiastic children to be respectful._

"_Mary, that's enough- do you want to have the guards come down and have us leave?" Arthur scolded a small brunette who immediately stepped away with big hazel eyes. "That's alright, darling. Just be careful."_

"_Arthur?" Arthur looked down as his robe was tugged on, to see Benjamin looking up at him. "Why do they keep it behind glass?"_

"_Well, it's very old," Arthur explained, watching as a bit of afternoon sunlight came through the stained glass windows and reflected off of the glass box. "They don't want it to be damaged, or stolen."_

"_Why would someone steal an old book?" Peter piped up, making a face. "We've all got copies of the Scripture at home."_

_Arthur raised a thick eyebrow and reminded himself that they were all just children- even if Peter was a bit more rambunctious than the others. "It's the original. The very first copy ever, the most blessed and treasured object by the gods- just think. This book was written by those blessed by the gods themselves, so many years ago when the demons were banished and us angels took on our duty to protect the humans. So perhaps someone out there thinks that they can steal it for money."_

_The children all looked at Arthur with wide eyes and mumbled anxiously._

"_No angel would steal it, though, right?" John blinked widely up at Arthur. "My dad says that only humans ever steal anything."_

"_Now, John," Arthur scolded, looking at him, though he addressed the whole group. "You know that's not true. There are angels who are persuaded to do bad things just as humans are. That's why we have jail- if every angel was good, we wouldn't need one, would we? Perhaps humans are a bit more inclined to sin, but they don't have the same beliefs and dedication to those beliefs as us, and devotion to the gods makes us less susceptible to- Peter!"_

_Peter had wandered away from group and had climbed under the satin rope keeping visitors from coming too close to the Scripture. He was standing on tiptoe on the marble pedestal holding up the glass case, his nose pressed against the glass for a better look._

"_Peter!" Arthur rushed forward at the same time the Royal Guards saw the child and started over. He grabbed the little angel around the waist and pulled him off, the boy complaining the whole time as he was forcibly taken away. "What were you thinking? You just wait until your parents-"_

_Something caught Arthur's eye. He stopped talking for a moment, squinting. The original Scripture was always open to the same page, the passage speaking of the angel's triumphing over the demons, but perhaps Peter had jostled the case, because one page had fluttered slightly up, revealing words on the next page, words that Arthur couldn't remember ever seeing… and that was impossible._

Arthur frowned. It really was impossible, so why was he so bent on looking for those words he _might _have seen?

"Hello? Arthur?" Francis waved a hand in front of Arthur's face, but he snatched it back as Arthur narrowed his eyes and tried to bite his fingers. "Hey! You could have marred my perfect skin."

"Whatever," Arthur dismissed Francis and went over to the next oak shelf, placing the remainder of the books back. "Look, the point is that I'm busy, so go away."

"My feelings are hurt again," Francis pouted and leaned against a shelf. "Besides, I hate to interrupt you, but we're patrolling together tonight. It won't be too bad; it's just some farming village by the Southern border."

Arthur sighed as he put the last book away. "I hate patrolling. Can't you get someone else to go? I've got to get up early tomorrow; I'm taking the kids to the-"

"No, I can't, and frankly, you should let the kids have some time to just be kids," Francis said dryly, shrugging as Arthur glared. "Hey, you're always taking them some place or another to 'further their education'. Let them be their age, at least sometimes."

"I will not have you telling me how to instruct my class, Francis," Arthur snapped, wings bristling angrily, the pure white feathers standing on end. "I'll go on the stupid patrol, just get out."

"Very well," Francis sighed and spread his own wings, the huge golden-tinged appendages brushing the book shelves on either side of him. "I'll meet you at the usual spot."

The angel blew Arthur a kiss (which the other pretended to catch, throw to the ground and stomp on), before he was airborne with a great pump of his wings, flying out the skydoor on the ceiling into the evening.

Arthur watched him go before turning back to the table he had been sitting at. He put his copy of the Scripture into his satchel, along with the quill and ink he had brought along just in case. Slinging the satchel over one shoulder and then adjusting to be sure that the strap was firmly between his shoulder blades, he spread his wings. Arthur rather liked his wings- they were pure white, not some stupid gold color like Francis, and although that meant that they required a lot of cleaning, he didn't really mind. Adjusting the golden rope around his waist, Arthur took off, leaving the library below him as he twisted through the skydoor, a cool evening breeze immediately blowing across his face as he left. Even though it was probably nothing, Arthur couldn't help but puzzle over the words he had seen on the original Scripture. He most definitely had never seen them in his copy, and none of his research books mentioned anything of the sort. Perhaps it had been translated wrong, he mused, though something pricked at the back of head that translators of the Scripture didn't make mistakes.

Arthur shook his head and concentrated on flying properly, and on the beauty all around him. The capital of the angel kingdom was surely the finest place to live in all of Etrillium, and although he'd seen some of the outlying towns in the angel territory, he didn't think that any of them compared to the majesty of Ginesis. He banked to the left, his skin the color of the white marble surrounding him as he flew around the great columns supporting the circular structure of the Library, angels walking together below him in conversation with their arms full of books. They turned their palms to him as he flew overhead, choosing to take the airpath instead of landing, and he did the same customary gesture. Large green ferns tickled the ends of his wings as he soared past the Library windows, the green tendrils reaching out a friendly gesture.

Finally emerging from the airpath, Arthur flapped his wings a few times to a current slightly above where other angels were flying, preferring the solitude of his flight home then to engage in any typical mid-flight conversation. All around him were the lush forested hills and valleys of Ginesis, dotted with the pure white of marble, starting as sort of random, scattered bits but then merging into a great city surrounding the beautiful Palace. It sat on the largest hill, looming over the city with strength and majesty, great arches connecting the smooth walls of safety and protection, the Bell at the highest point and ready to be rung every Saturday for the weekly Prayer for the gods. The dark figures of patrolling angels could be seen like little ants on the flaming surface that was the sunset, swooping around the top of the Palace not unlike birds around a body of fresh water. Even from here, Arthur thought that he could see the gleaming swords they kept at their sides, the silver metal daggers flashing dangerously as a warning to any demons that thought that the Palace was a place to be raided. Indeed, it was foolish to think that any creature could be so stupid as to attack, but once in a while, a ghastly Lesser demon had tried it- only to be struck down the moment its scaly, slimy, or furry foot stepped into the city.

Arthur didn't particularly care for violence, but even he had to admire the strength of the Royal Guard.

Below him, he made a small check-list in his mind of shops he'd visit on his way home from his patrol, the brightly colored tents of the marketplace standing out to him from their circular position in the city square between more permanent, fancier shops of marble and stone. They were arranged without organization, some selling food and others selling artwork; merchants who moved around from place to place to sell their items and never staying in one place for too long. He liked going to the marketplace- not only were items cheaper and more appealing that the permanent shops, but he liked the angels that sold them, no matter their 'rougher' disposition. They'd seen so much and been so many places that Arthur held a deep respect for them and the culture from their respective cities that they brought with them. In fact, he thought, slowing down, he really needed to pick up a new quill… yes; he'd do that, and just wait to stop by his home until he got back from his patrol.

Arthur gently glided down, circling low over the roofs as he waited his turn for the landing pad (a large stone square used specifically to avoid landing in large crowds and causing a disturbance, with plenty of wing room), before he alighted and folded his wings against his back, stepping off so the next angel could land. Despite his dislike of crowds, Arthur took a deep breath and dove into the midst of angels, a bit excited at the thought of a new quill… and the thought that Francis would have to wait for him wasn't bad either. The white marble shops stood against the tall trees above him, the three story buildings advertising herbs and spices, new fabric, fresh food, and the lush smell of the forestry around them blended sweetly with cooking pastries and brewing tea. Arthur was a bit taken aback by how eager everyone seemed to be to get to the shops and stands. It wasn't the peaceful atmosphere he was used to, and he had to fight his way to the circular marketplace and red tent that he enjoyed so much.

"Hello, Arthur," Yao, the owner of the tent, turned his palm to Arthur as he ducked in. It smelled of spices and incense, wind chimes tinkling in a slightly stuffy breeze. Trinkets from human cities along with beautiful statues, fabric, and artwork from the angel city Shingang Yao came from were all neatly arranged on tables, and Yao sat on a stool in front of a large canvas he appeared to be working on just behind the trading table, his long brunette locks of hair tumbling over his shoulder. "Just looking around?"

"No, I came with a purpose this time," Arthur smiled slightly and made his way over to the quills. Yao hummed in acknowledgement and went back to inking the hills and valleys of Shingang on his canvas. Arthur had a habit of coming into this shop and just wandering- he might love living in Ginesis, but other large angel cities that he hadn't been to, and especially Shingang, simply fascinated him. Yao had been all over the angel kingdom, finally settling here for a few weeks before packing up and going traveling and then coming back. Sometimes if Arthur lingered long enough and Yao was in a good mood, the angel would tell him stories of the places he'd been and powerful people he'd met. "I'm looking for a new quill."

Yao looked over as Arthur gently rifled through a jar of beautiful feathers. His trademark chocolate-colored wings of his home shuffled as he got up and went over to Arthur, peering at his slender fingers going through the feathered tools. "What sort of quill are you looking for? I have some lovely waterproof heron and duck quills I just received this morning."

"No, I just need a simple one," Arthur reached into his satchel and extracted his much-loved robin feather quill. "Something like this. "

Yao tsked and reached for the jar next to one Arthur had been looking through. "Do not come to my shop if you are looking for something so small and unreliable. You write a lot, so you need a sturdier quill than a robin. Robin quills are good for one who uses it to draw, not to write."

The longhaired man rifled through the jar for a moment before he pulled out a deep brown quill with a downy white base, his almond eyes glittering as he took a moment to admire the work. "Here. This is what you need. Eagle feather quills are the best for one who needs a quill for a long-term assignment or many different projects. Very sturdy and reliable."

"Alright," Arthur took the quill. It was bigger and thicker than his usual quill, and the metal tip for writing was silver instead of bronze. "Thank you. I'll take it."

Yao looked pleased and Arthur followed him to the trading table and exchanged a few silver coins for it and a new bottle of black ink. "I heard you had a small mishap at the Palace," Yao spoke as he counted the coins. "With one of the children."

"You heard about it?" Arthur sighed and accepted the change. "Yes, Peter is rather troublesome. Tino assured me that he'd be punished, but the guards frightened him enough, I think. He used to be such a pleasant boy, but ever since David died… and then Tino just doesn't have the heart to discipline him properly."

"Young children who lose one of their parents so early often have trouble accepting that they are with the gods and watching over them," Yao spoke calmly, putting Arthur's quill into a silk case with a red and white pattern. "Their faith is not so strong as one whom has lived longer. Peter has it especially difficult. He lost his birth parents, and now one of his adoptive ones, and though he never knew his birth parents, three parents are now gone from his life." He looked at Arthur with a knowing gaze. "You can relate on some level."

"I never had any parents at all," Arthur muttered, thinking of his childhood spent in a little townhouse with an older brother who was always working and leaving him alone for extended periods of time. "But yes, I had my rebellious phase."

"Then perhaps you can urge Peter to turn out as you did," Yao smiled kindly and handed Arthur his purchases. "You have turned out quite well."

"Ah, thank you," Arthur accepted them a bit sheepishly and put them in his bag. He turned his palm to Yao, who used the Shingang farewell, putting his hands together and bowing. "Have a good day."

"And to you, Arthur," Yao turned back to his canvas painting, thin fingers picking up the bamboo brush and beginning long, leisurely strokes on the white surface.

Arthur watched for a moment before turning to leave, when an idea occurred to him. "Yao?"

Yao looked over and raised a pencil-thin eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Um, well…" Arthur shifted a bit awkwardly, smoothing his tanned apparel with a bit of discomfort. "… this is going to sound silly, but… have you ever heard of a blue-eyed demon?"

Yao looked at Arthur a blankly. "A Lesser demon maybe… but a Greater demon? Never… you know they all have red eyes and black hair. Why? Did you see one?"

"Oh, no, I just… saw it mentioned somewhere," Arthur shrugged nonchalantly, his heart sinking a bit. It seemed that there really was nothing to what he thought he had seen, if ever-traveling Yao hadn't heard of it. "In the library, you know. Something about 'a demon with the sky in its eyes'. I mean, I assume that means blue."

"You should try spending less time in the library," Yao said, not unkindly, going back to his painting. "I think all of those fiction stories are going to your head a bit… try mingling with other angels a bit. Or even a human- they've been coming to Ginesis in swarms, damn tourists… trying to trade their silly metal trinkets for good tea and spice…"

"Er, right…" Arthur backed out of the tent. "Yes, I'll try. Thank you, and sorry to bother you."

After exiting the tent, Arthur heaved a sigh, glaring at his sandaled toes. 'Mingling with other angels'… it wasn't as though Arthur hadn't tried. They just didn't particularly like him for his odd fondness for books over people, or his friendless towards children and animals, when he tended to stay away from angels his own age. They thought that made him unfriendly or snobby and even though it was all ridiculous, Arthur didn't really feel the need to correct them in their assumption. He liked spending time alone, and enjoyed working with only his thoughts and ideas to keep him company. Being a Guardian was nice too, because although troublesome, children were simple in their innocence and naivety to the world. Arthur enjoyed guiding the little ones through their younger years, teaching them and showing them different things until they were old enough to leave his care and begin an apprenticeship of their choice. That was his life- he was with the kids until the mid-afternoon, and then he'd go to the Library or go home, and spend the rest of his day alone.

It was fine, and Arthur was happy. Maybe not exceedingly so, his life was certainly mundane, but he really was happy enough. He looked up and watched the thinning crowd leaving the market for their homes, their satchels filled with new fabric and other objects that they had purchased, things that they would surely use to make other people happy; their friends and their family, perhaps customers or human tourists. Whatever the case, Arthur felt distant from them and their beautiful faces, all smiling and talking and occasionally stopping to look towards the Prayer Bell and bow their head for a moment. Because although Arthur did all of these things, he did them differently, and no one was quite sure how to feel about it. Arthur didn't know how he felt about it himself.

Perhaps Yao had a point- maybe instead of spending every day after work at the Library, he could go to a tea shop and at least keep up an appearance of "socializing"… it didn't sound appealing, but not interacting with many others had gotten him thinking that there was something wrong with the Scripture, and the fact that he had even considered it was a problem enough- Arthur looked over the heads of the crowd of angels and to the Prayer Bell at the top of the Palace. It gleamed in the setting sun, reflecting the light across the marble palace and giving it a beautiful golden glow. He rather wished it would ring- then the Queen would come out and lead them all in a Prayer with such elegance and grace that Arthur surely couldn't manage on his own.

Nevertheless, Arthur closed his eyes and murmured a prayer, asking for forgiveness in doubting the Scripture, and perhaps some guidance as well. He then straightened up and fixed his satchel, joining the crowd to the take-off pad, ready to go on patrol with that frog-faced Francis.

~oO0Oo~

A few seconds after Arthur left, Yao put his brush down and looked at the red fabric of the tent swaying gently with the angel's departure. Slowly, he then stood and walked over to the drawer on the trading table, his slippered feet shuffling on the ground, and produced a key from around his neck. It was large and bronze, and he looked at it hanging on its chain before putting it up against the drawer's lock and turning it, the gears inside the box rotating with the key and lifting the catch keeping it shut. Gingerly, Yao opened the box and peered down. The inside wasn't much, containing a simple brown journal and a little box with intricate designs of fish over it done with a thin, beautiful stencil of gold. He opened the box with an air of hesitancy but then took out an envelope folded up so it was small enough to fit, and carefully unfolded it.

The parchment inside the envelope crinkled a bit as Yao smoothed it out over the trading table in order to read the words carefully and precisely inked on the front.

He furrowed his brow and looked to the ceiling. He liked his life here. It was simple, friendly, and stable- at least from the outside. It was absolutely appalling that this one letter could tear apart his life and the lives of all in Etrillium. Yet, Yao was under orders, and he pocketed the letter, resigning himself to sending it once the marketplace was closed down and he could leave his tent without fear of thievery.

"Ai-ya…" He murmured, sitting back down to paint. "Forgive me, gods… but I am too old for this."

~oO0Oo~

The woods were getting darker as the sun set, the shadows slipping off of the trunks of trees to crawl slowly across the blackening ground, reaching with long, spindly fingers to consume what was left of the daylight. The trees themselves were turning into nothing more than giant solid structures that if looked at the wrong way, could be mistaken for a creature readying itself to jump out of its hiding, for the moonlight did not penetrate the thick branches and leaves overhead. There was a dry breeze blowing through the forest, circling around the trunks of the trees and rattling the leaves, picking up broken twigs and trampled plants.

Besides the sound of the wind singing mournfully, however, there was no sound to be heard.

… and then the snap of a twig being stepped on.

Immediately, a dark figure darted from between two trees, footsteps quick and light, skidding lightly on the damp ground. It dashed towards the sound of the twig, and in the darkened cacophony of colored leaves on the ground, a small mouse was seen running for its life. The predator chasing it could hear the quickening of its small heart, the racing of the blood in its veins as the tiny clawed feet scrambled on the loose soil as it ran for its burrow. It could sense the fine hairs on its pelt rippling as its muscles worked to get it to safety, the whiskers brushing the branch of a bush, the darting movements of its bulging, panicked eyes...

"BOO!"

The figure chasing the mouse suddenly tripped, falling face forward onto the ground with a startled yelp, the crash echoing throughout the otherwise seemingly empty forest, masked only by the sounds of cackling laughter from the treetops.

"Bravo!" Came a high, hissing voice dripping with mirth as another, deeper one whooped mockingly. "Nice job, kid! Even the awesome me can't screw up that bad!"

The figure slowly picked itself up from the ground, clawed hands brushing twigs and dirt from its clothes. "Gilbert! Antonio! You morons!" It hissed. "I almost had it!"

There was swift sound of two heavy objects falling through the trees, and then two demons landed somewhat lightly on the forest floor, still laughing, two sets of red eyes glittering in the darkness. They sauntered over to the third figure, one looping an arm over its broad shoulders.

"Don't be mad, Alfred," The first demon was tall and skinny, his boney yet muscular arm squeezing the third's shoulder in mock-friendliness. His skin was too pale for a demon, his hair, wings, and tail white. Like the others, he was dressed in black. "We're only looking out for you. You shouldn't have to eat crap like that. Right, Antonio? The awesome Gilbert would never let that happen."

"You fucking albino," Alfred growled, shoving Gilbert's arm away. "In case you haven't noticed, that crap is the only shit I've been able to find in days."

"Whoa there," Gilbert flicked his tail lazily, unaffected by Alfred's threatening stance. "No need to get nasty. We're telling you about the raid we're organizing, but hey, if you wanna live off of mice…"

Alfred's eyes flashed between the two. "You've never asked me on a raid before."

Antonio shrugged, tossing back curly black locks, scarlet irises gleaming. He smiled. "You never asked to join one."

"And you creep us out," Gilbert added, slinking closer to Alfred. "You're unnatural. You call me a freak, but at least there are other albinos. What does that make you, dipshit?"

Alfred swiped a clawed hand at Gilbert when he got too close. "So then what made you change your mind, asshole?"

"That's two assholes, actually," Gilbert motioned between him and Antonio. "Well, we couldn't help but notice your most recent garb, actually. Pretty awesome."

Antonio slipped around Alfred, eyeing the black leather jacket he wore. "_Si, _this is the nicest thing you've managed to snag on your own. And white minx fur on the collar. Expensive."

"I don't barrel in and kill anyone who gets in my way, believe it or not," Alfred said dryly. "It's thievery, not homicide."

"And it worked!" Gilbert held up a finger, grinning, his fangs glistening. "Which is why some of us are going to be 'sneaky', and raid a village your way."

"It won't work with a big group," Alfred rolled his eyes. "If one of us is spotted, the human's will raise the alarm and-"

"You've already referred to the group as 'us'!" Gilbert laughed and made to punch Alfred's shoulder good-naturedly, but thought better of it and stopped. "See? You're in."

Alfred thought for a moment, looking around. The mouse was nowhere to be seen. "… how's everything divided?"

"Nothing is divided," Antonio absentmindedly scratched behind his horn. They were long and swooped over the top of his head before curling up at the ends by his neck. "We all raid, but you take what you grab."

A dry, cold wind blew through the forest, and Alfred licked his lips, running his tongue over his fangs, tasting the wind. It was going to be cloudy tonight, and fog was already beginning to seep through the trees, making for a good cover. "… I'm in, then."

Glowing blue eyes flashed before Alfred was gone, melted into the shadows with the other two demons.

* * *

_A/N: So… I wasn't going to post this._

_I lost all motivation for this fic these past months and I just couldn't WRITE. It was very frustrating, and I would sit with my laptop and stare blankly at the screen with no idea how to start this fic. The entire story is plotted out, I know where I'm going, but I couldn't get it down!_

_And then the weather turned warm and sunny and I couldn't stop writing. I was like, Superman, typing more and more and re-typing and ya-da ya-da. HOORAY FOR SPRING!_

_I feel like the first chapter is kind of choppy- the flow isn't as great as I had hoped for, but I got what I needed to say out of it, I think. I promise that the next chapters will be written more smoothly. I also wanted to have a few more chapters ready so I could start posting these every week and be ahead of the game, but you've been waiting long enough to get past the prologue, so here it is!_

_Please leave a review- I am determined to respond to every one of them! (I'm so bad at it- but trust me, I ADORE REVIEWS! I blabber about them all the time.)_

_Half the credit for the storyline goes to my fabulous, wonderful, amazing girlfriend: Inkaugneato! Check out her Hetalia fics!_

_**KEY POINTS** (at the end of every chapter, I'm going to write a small bit about anything I mentioned in the chapter about Etrillium you ought to know if you didn't pick it up)_

_-Most angel's wings are white with some sort of very light shade- gold, silver, blue, and gray are all common._

_-Angel cities are a bit like countries- for example, Shingang would be like going to a sort of China, still recognizably "angel", but with it's own culture. Most angels there would appear to what we think of as "Asian". Of course, there's no Asia in Etrillium. Dark colored wings are found here._

_-"skydoors" are basicly big windows for angel's to fly through to get into buildings instead of walking into._

_-"airpaths" are like sidewalks while one is flying, usually right above a real sidewalk or hallway, marked for flight instead of walking_


	3. The Blue-Eyed Demon

**CHAPTER TWO**_  
_

**THE BLUE-EYED DEMON**

* * *

The sun had set by the time Arthur reached the marble archway that was the entrance to Ginesis, and a few guards were closing the big silver gate right as he flew over it. They glanced up at him but otherwise paid him no attention as they continued the ceremonious act of closing the city down for the night, a symbol of protection to the occupants. Arthur knew it was tradition, but still thought that it was a bit silly- if any demon wanted to get in, they wouldn't be stopped by a big gate- but he digressed.

"It's about time you got here," Francis fumed as Arthur landed on the other side of the gate, looking annoyed as he walked up to him from where he had been waiting in the gate's guard box, where a guard was always on duty to filter people in and out. "What took you so long?"

"I had to pick something up, not that it's your business," Arthur replied, huffing and crossing his arms. "I was here on time- sunset."

Francis rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his long hair. "_Oui, _sunset, not 'after the sun has already set'!"

"It's the same thing, frog." Arthur scowled. "Let's just go on patrol so I can go home and wash your scent from my skin."

"Why do you insist on wounding me so?" Francis pouted and made big puppy eyes at Arthur. "So mean…"

"Shut up," Arthur sighed, adjusting his satchel and holding his hand out for the blades Francis was supposed to have brought. "Just give me the sword beardy, or I'll take it from you by force."

"Alas, my poor heart cannot live with this abuse…" Francis put his hand to his heart and pretended to swoon, grasping Arthur's hand in his own and bringing it to his face. "… Arthur… you have… killed me…!"

Arthur smacked Francis' hand away as the angel pretended to die painfully. "Goodbye." He spread his wings and took off, taking some satisfaction in hearing Francis scramble in an undignified manner to his feet before jumping up into the air after him.

"Wait! I was joking! I am not dead!" Francis flipped onto his back and flew under Arthur with his hands behind his head, smirking. "Here-" he tossed Arthur a shining silver blade. "-don't poke your eye out."

"I can handle myself!" Arthur snapped, stomping his foot down on Francis' chest, giving him a push up into the air and Francis a tumble down. "Go away!"

"That's not what you said your first day of training!" Francis righted himself in the air and twisted up to fly beside and a bit under Arthur to keep their wings from brushing. "I can see it now- little Arthur, looking at the blade like it was the scariest demon of them all- 'Oh no, Francis, please, I don't want to touch it, it might hurt me, oh noooo~! Francis, please tell the teacher that I don't want to fight! I don't want to be bullied, Francis! Francis save me! Francis help! The sword going to eat me, Francis!"

"_I was ten years old, you twat!"_ Arthur screeched, suddenly dive-bombing Francis, blade held aloft. "Get back here and let me show you _exactly_ what I've learned since then!"

Francis cackled and streaked away, making rude gestures at Arthur as the smaller angel cursed him and all his future offspring, rocketing after him.

~oO0Oo~

Alfred snarled and barreled forward, a single shadow in the darkness, before he collided with another. The noise of their violent joining sounded like boulders smashing against one another, roars of fury and howls of pain echoing through the otherwise silent forest. Claws slashed and tore through flesh, fangs glistening with a mixture of blood and saliva burying themselves into anywhere on their opponent's body that they could reach. Tails were thrashing around wildly for balance, the thumb claws on great, bat-like wings taking a part in the search for skin available to tear.

Alfred spat, his teeth bared threateningly, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. His hands were locked around the other demon's upper arms, claws digging into the unclothed muscles, and the other's hands were pushing against his chest and scrabbling for purchase. They were locked for the moment, each of their muscles straining, each of their feet dug firmly into the ground to prevent a slip-up.

"You think you can be a part of this raid?" The demon hissed, red eyes slitted. "Why don't you go back to where you fucking came from, freak?"

"You callin' me a freak?" Alfred growled, his boot sliding back a bit in the ground. The other's eyes flashed in the brief victory. "I know you. You're the idiot who got caught by an angel, aren't you? Yeah, and the so-called saint made you his bitch, didn't he? How's your ass? Still hurt?"

"You son of a bitch!" The demon howled, muscles trembling as he pushed harder against Alfred, unable to move his arms from how Alfred was holding them. "You actually think that you can just walk in here with your smug attitude and your fucking slut of a mother for an excuse of a parent-"

"Shut up," Alfred's voice lowered, the deep tenor reverberating deep in his chest, eyes dilating. "Shut your filthy mouth!"

"She had blue eyes too, didn't she?" the demon continued, gleeful that he'd found a weak spot. "And who was your father, exactly? Some whore your mommy must've been, being walked out on by her own mate!"

"I said shut up!" Alfred roared, teeth snapping wildly at the demon, but unable to get a purchase on anything at all. "I'll kill you!"

"How many demons do you think she let have her?" The demon grinned, eyes glittering. "Ten? Twenty? All for the sake of her poor wittle baby who was just like her! Filthy, diseased, unwanted, disgu-"

"_I SAID SHUT UP_!"

_SNAP._

"_AUUUUUUUGGHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!_"

_THUD._

_Crunch._

…

A hand came down on Alfred's shoulder, and he whipped around, snarling, prepared for another attack, but Gilbert raised his hands in surrender, eyes guarded.

"Cool it, hot shot," the albino muttered, looking around the dark clearing. Several pairs of reflective, scarlet eyes looked back. "Don't freak out the masses."

"Freak out the-? Are you fucking joking?!" Alfred snarled, his wings suddenly shooting out, the huge appendages spreading and filling the space around him with inky black. He turned towards the eyes, towards the demons watching from between the trees. "Well? WELL?! ANYONE ELSE WANNA GO?!"

Alfred breathed heavily for a few moments before his wings began to fold back in, his threatening stance changing to a straight, upright one. He shot Gilbert a glare, and the demon shrugged. "I guess they've learned. You're coming on this raid, and there's nothing they can do about it."

"Good." The larger demon growled and stalked past Gilbert, heading for the direction of the village.

When he was gone, Antonio crept out of the woods, followed by a few others. He exchanged a look with Gilbert.

"Was he even hurt at all?" Antonio muttered, eyes following Alfred. "I thought he was- I mean… I thought I saw Zack get in a few hits…"

"You wanna go peel off that psycho's jacket and look for wounds?" Gilbert couldn't repress a shudder. "I guess we'll never know."

They glanced at each other once more before beckoning the group to follow after them as they headed after Alfred, all of them stepping carefully over the disembodied limbs that stood in their way.

~oO0Oo~

Arthur sheathed his sword, folding his wings against his back and looking around, trying to peer through the long, dark shadows casted by the surrounding buildings and the sun's last rays of light. "Everything's clear."

Francis stepped around the corner between two houses, tossing his hair over his shoulder. "Yes, it all seems to be clear here as well. Shall we go and report to Kiku?"

Arthur nodded, and the two began the walk to the small town's outer fence. Everything was quiet, curfew for the human's having already been set in place. The most sound made over the noises of the crickets and the lowing of the cows in the distant fields were the scuffling made of the two angel's sandaled feet on the pebbled road leading through the middle of the town. The small wooden lean-tos and darkened tents gave off an abandoned feel, and although the candles in the windows of the town houses on either side of him showed hidden life, Arthur couldn't help but shiver slightly. It was terribly lonely and solemn, but completely necessary to keep everyone indoors after dark, and that in and of itself was a major reason for Arthur being thankful that he had chosen to be a Guardian rather than a Protector.

A warm arm suddenly pressed against his own, and Arthur jumped away, glaring. "What?"

Francis made a face at him. "I was merely trying to warm you up. You seemed cold."

"Don't touch me," Arthur warned, holding up a finger. "I swear I'll kick you in the jewels again if you try."

Francis rolled his eyes and let Arthur forge ahead, grumbling. Yes, Francis was his tentative… "friend", but he was far too touchy-feely and _blech. _Arthur happened to have a personal bubble, and no matter how many times that he told the perverted angel that, he kept on coming back and coming back and coming back again and again and again and dammit, Arthur could only take so much!

Up ahead, Arthur could see the small wooden fence that surrounded the town. It was rickety and probably had trouble in a bad storm, so it was no match for a hungry demon. But the message was clear- angel feathers were hung in small bundles here and there, giving off a clear sign that this particular village was protected and armed. A small stone structure sat just on the inside of the fence, a little bit away from the start of the town, and a warm orange glow came from indoors, along with a pillar of smoke curling from a long chimney.

Arthur went up to the little cottage and knocked several times, swatting Francis's hand away when the other "missed" the door and "accidently" brushed his thigh.

The wooden door opened and a short angel stood in the entrance. His face was slender and spoke of intelligence, thin lips spread in a small smile. Almond eyes gleamed, the black irises shining warmly, and white robes draped over his thin body. "_Kon'nichiwa, _Arthur, Francis. Please come inside."

Arthur immediately brightened and bowed, relief flooding through him as he stepped into the familiar abode. The inside was small, but Arthur always thought that the size suited Kiku. It only had two rooms, a door leading to the bedroom, and the rest a large open space with an elegant couch in front of a small fire, a tiny kitchen off to the side, and a table brought back from Kiku's homeland which lacked chairs, and instead had four pillows around it- he couldn't remember what it was called, but Arthur quite enjoyed having tea there.

"Tea?" Kiku shuffled over to small stove where he had already poured two glasses of the steaming herbal beverage, of which Arthur gladly accepted, inhaling deeply before taking a sip. Francis politely declined. "I hope there was no trouble for the two of you."

"None at all," Arthur spoke up, feeling his insides melt as the hot tea made its way into his stomach. "There was a dog bothering a chicken coop at the beginning, but everything seems to be quiet. We refreshed the feathers along the way."

"_Oui, _but you have a hole in the fence on the South end," Francis said, gestured mildly in that direction. "It looks as though some children were messing around with it."

"It's very small though, it can wait until tomorrow," Arthur immediately glared at Francis. "Don't worry yourself, Kiku."

Kiku laughed softly. "Of course, Arthur. I am sure that it can wait. Where are you two heading next…?"

"Just a bit farther South," Arthur raised his tea cup again and took another sip. "Mmm… is this a new mix? It's really quite delightful."

"Yes, I just had it delivered," Kiku seemed pleased that Arthur had noticed, and he turned to the cupboard, jet black wings rustling as he reached up and brought down a small blue box. "I had hoped to see you again soon; I was going to give you this."

"What is it?" Arthur accepted the box and opened it. "Oh- a sampler? Kiku, thank you, this is wonderful! I can't wait to try them out!"

"I got one for myself as well," Kiku admitted, cheeks gently blushing as Arthur happily took out the little bags and admired them. "I thought that when you have finished them and when you have time in your schedule, you would come by and we could discuss them."

"Absolutely!" Arthur lovingly put the box in his satchel, making sure it was secure. "I do hope that your post will be filled soon, Kiku. I miss you very much back home."

"I have been informed that I will be taking leave in a few week's time," Kiku offered helpfully. "Another angel will be Protecting this town and I will be allowed a long and welcome holiday back in Ginesis."

"Good," Arthur smiled. "I have some very interesting books I found that I think you would enjoy and-"

"Ah, Arthur?" Francis interrupted, beckoning at the window and the navy sky. "We really should get going…"

"Yes, it will be very dark soon," Kiku agreed, lightly touching Arthur's hand as he made to rebuke Francis. "I do not like the thought of the two of you so close to the demon's border when it becomes completely dark out… I recently encountered a flying demon of unusual size that attempted to get me as I was coming back from the farm fields."

Francis and Arthur both looked at Kiku in alarm. As a Protector, Kiku had been trained extensively in the fields of fighting and combat, but although the knowledge lingered in the back of Arthur's mind, looking over his small and skinny friend caused him nothing but worry for his safety.

"Are you quite alright?" Arthur immediately hovered anxiously around Kiku, half-looking for injuries. "Were you hurt? Did you send for another angel to come and Heal you?"

"I was not hurt," Kiku reassured Arthur. "No Healing was required. But it did try and sneak up on me from behind. It was very dark out, and the demon was black as night- if it had not been for how loud it was flying, I am unsure I would have indeed escaped unscathed."

"What did it look like?" Francis leaned forward, apparently intrigued. "I assume you killed it?"

"Of course he did!" Arthur interjected, rolling his eyes. "Kiku knows better than to let a demon go!"

"I was merely asking!" Francis turned and glared at Arthur in a way that made the other angel's stomach twist. He seemed honestly angered now. "You don't have to keep telling me off, Arthur! I'm an adult, and I know what I'm talking about!"

Arthur flushed, embarrassed… he had pushed too far. And right in front of Kiku, too. "… sorry." He muttered, turning away.

"Ah, yes… I did kill it," Kiku, who had never liked conflict despite his job, looked awkward. "It was of medium size. Oddly round and covered in fur, and any legs it may have had were not visible to the naked eye. It had four eyes right in the center of its body, and strangely enough… its mouth seemed to make up most of it. It must have had a strange organ system, to fit everything in there and still have the size of mouth that it did. Oh, and the teeth were sharp, and there were rows and rows of them…" he looked between Francis and Arthur. "… Francis, would you like to see it? I sketched a picture… it is in my bedroom, if you would follow me."

Francis nodded, and Arthur shuffled where he stood, still feeling out of place and still slightly pink. "Please, show me."

As the two left, Arthur sighed and turned away from the bedroom door, holding his tea mug tightly.

~oO0Oo~

"Here it is," Kiku held up the sketch after digging under his bed for a moment, handing the parchment to Francis, who accepted it. "… it was rather gruesome."

"_Oui_," Francis murmured, looking over the picture somewhat distantly. "I think I've seen a type like this before though… I don't believe that I need to catalogue it."

Kiku glanced over him for a moment. The smaller angel didn't like to boast, but he did pride himself on being able to read people quite well, and Francis had always been an open book. He set down his sketchbook and folded his hands in front of him. "… I suppose that you have not spoken to Arthur…" he spoke softly, prompting him to speak.

"No," Francis sighed, crossing his arms and looking to the side out of a small window. "I haven't. He remains as stubborn as ever and there's hardly an opportunity to bring it up, as he's constantly insulting me and my intelligence…" his blue eyes rested on Kiku's face, expression saddened. "… you know as well as I do that he currently doesn't feel the same, but I'm really starting to believe that he never will."

"As long as I have known Arthur, he has been different than most angels," Kiku said slowly. "From the beginning of our Creation and our duty to humankind, angels have strived for peace and friendship, and it is only natural that we should be used to and trying to achieve family and close relationships with creatures of all kinds. Arthur, however… he is unusual. I do believe that the two of us are the only beings he can call 'friends'."

"Why do you think that is?" Francis frowned, brow furrowing in thought. "He's certainly hard to get along with sometimes, but he's loyal, isn't he? He comes highly recommended as a Guardian. He's highly attractive- his eyebrows might use some work, but still- and yet he's more often than not… alone."

"… I do not mean to gossip, of course," Kiku started, immediately feeling a small twinge of guilt. "… but perhaps his brother might have had something to do with it. Growing up alone may have left him to feel like it was normal."

Francis was quiet for a long moment, and Kiku shuffled uncomfortably in the slightly awkward silence.

"Ah… but Arthur can always learn," he eventually offered as Francis remained quiet. "He is intelligent. Perhaps as long as we two are here with him, he will open up more to you. I suspect that patience may be the best option."

"Of course," Francis nodded and straightened up, looking more like his confident- and perhaps narcissistic- self. Kiku breathed out a sigh of relief- filling in silences was never his strong point. "I'm more than capable to bring Arthur out of his shell!"

Kiku was going to mention that maybe starting with a platonic friendship was best, and then he could resume his intentions to court Arthur, but Francis had left the room, leaving a faint smell of roses in his wake. The angel waited a moment before putting his drawing back under his bed, straightening up to hear the faint sounds of Francis's laughter and Arthur's irritable mutters coming from the main room. He wouldn't tell Francis, but he was unsure of how exactly a relationship would be formed between the two of them… surely the two would fight too much, to the point of it not working out. Francis was confident in winning Arthur over, but Kiku couldn't help but feel like Arthur simply wasn't the social, trophy-type that Francis wanted him to be. Arthur didn't want to be shown off, of that he was sure, and with Francis's rather astounding record of romances, perhaps the trust wouldn't be all there either. Maybe Arthur would be better off with a human.

Kiku shook his head, slightly unnerved that he had thought that. Arthur wasn't attracted to humans, was he? Those types of relationships were only just starting to become accepted, and of course Kiku was never one to judge, but it did seem rather different.

But it was Arthur's life, and his choices to make, so Kiku left the room, a polite look of indifference on his face to contrast with his rather impolite thoughts.

"Ah, there you are." Francis immediately turned to Kiku as he came into sight. "Arthur and I must be on our way now.

"Of course," Kiku bowed and smiled gently. "Good luck on the rest of your patrol."

"Thank you so very much for entertaining us this evening," Arthur came up to Kiku, holding out his hand. Kiku took it and they held them together for a long moment. "It was wonderful to see you. Truly wonderful."

"You are always welcome here, both of you," Kiku nodded to Francis, who was loitering at the door. "I hope to see you soon."

"Goodbye, Kiku!" Arthur turned the palm of his hand to Kiku as he left after Francis. "Gods bless, as always."

Kiku turned his palm in return, watching him leave. Once he had disappeared, he slowly lowered his hand.

For an unknown reason, Kiku felt as though he would somehow not be seeing Arthur soon.

~oO0Oo~

"Do you smell… smoke?"

Arthur frowned, the pungent smell wafting through the air towards him. Night had completely fallen, and he looked towards Francis, who was flying slightly above him and to the side. "As a matter of fact, I do… what village are we checking up to next?"

"Our last one," Francis shook his head, and Arthur didn't like the look of worry on his face. "A small farming village that has the unfortunate luck of being built very close to demon territory… they have two Protectors because the demons have a tendency to prey on their livestock."

"… there aren't any demons that breathe fire, right?" Arthur asked, only half-joking as the smell got stronger the closer they got to the village. He glanced down at the darkened valley, knowing that just over the next hill was the town they were supposed to check in at. "Maybe they're just… having a bonfire?"

"In a town so close to the demons?" Francis began flying faster, and Arthur hurried to catch up before the cool night wind stole the other's words. "Very unlikely."

"Forest fire?" Arthur murmured, more to himself as they came closer to the foothill. "… it's been a dry spring…"

Francis didn't respond, and Arthur held his breath as the dark, sloping shape loomed up in front of them, like a giant demon buried beneath the ground. The very thought of such a thing caused shudders to go up Arthur's spine, and he quickly found a warm updraft to help propel him quickly over the hill, half-expecting a giant head to surge out of the ground and grab him out of the air. Nothing of the sort happened, of course, but then-

"No!" Francis gasped, and Arthur nearly fell out of the air at the sight before him.

Far below, the farming village that should have been standing as not much more than a darker mass than the fields around it was ablaze.

Arthur's chest seized up, and he immediately felt as though he couldn't breathe. "Francis-"

He was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders, tilted somewhat awkwardly in order for his wings to keep beating rapidly. "Arthur, you need to go back to the last village we were in and get the Protector there," Francis was saying quickly. "Do you understand? This is not just a village fire, there are demons here."

"But how do you know-" The words were barely out before a scream could be faintly heard from so high up, and then a series of loud, unnatural shrieks.

"You need to go and get the Protectors!" Francis shoved Arthur away, already moving towards the village. "Go!"

"But-"

"GO!"

Arthur bit his lip and turned midair, racing away from the burning village.

~oO0Oo~

"WHO THE FUCK SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE?" Alfred roared loudly over the sound of screaming and stampeding humans, his wings slightly unfurled.

There was no reply, and Alfred could only stand there for a moment, bristling angrily as huge flames cast an orange glow over everything, giant dancing shadows flickering and consuming everything. Sparks and embers drifted through the air, and as a flaming chunk of debris fell and set the next house's roof on fire, Alfred knew that it wouldn't be long before the entire town was set ablaze.

Letting out a frustrated growl, Alfred fled the scene, running away from the burning house and darting into a small alley. He could hear the fleeing humans up ahead, the sounds of them shouting and crying out. This was exactly what he said was going to happen- some demon in the pathetic excuse of a raiding group had decided to act up and screw the entire raid. Now Alfred was going to go hungry for weeks as all nearby human villages would be put on high alert after this particular catastrophe, and the very thought of not getting anything of what he came for all because of that fucking-

A sharp blow was delivered right between Alfred's shoulders, sending his wings into a shock, and he stumbled, nearly falling. Whipping around, he snarled, prepared to attack whatever had to nerve to strike him- but he paused.

A human woman stood there, a shovel clamped firmly in her hands. She was dressed in the scratchy fabric that most farming occupants wore, an apron tied around her mouth to protect her from the smoke, her stringy hair put up in a bun that was falling apart. Her brown eyes were filled with fear, but a resolute light caught Alfred's attention, as did the way her skirt shuffled and a second pair of eyes looked fearfully up at him from behind her.

Alfred didn't move, but the woman stepped forward, her eyes darting behind her to where the fire was quickly spreading, coming closer and closer. The child made a small whimpering noise, and he narrowed his eyes.

Alfred stepped to the side.

His blue eyes met the woman's and he saw her momentary confusion before she quickly gathered the little girl hiding in her skirt into her arms. She stepped past him carefully, holding the girl who couldn't have been more than five years old tightly, the shovel still gripped in her hands. The moment she deemed that she was far enough down the alley, she dropped the shovel and ran, looking back to make sure Alfred wasn't following.

He waited until she was gone before hurrying in the same direction, feeling the heat of the fire approaching quickly. Disoriented, Alfred paused to shake his head to try and clear it, unable to smell the forest over all the smoke that was quickly flooding the village. Even the sounds of the humans were starting to fade as the crackling and hissing from the fire got louder and closer.

_A flutter…_

A noise from above him that didn't belong caused Alfred to instinctively leap forward right as a blade sliced through where his head had been a second ago.

Alfred barely had a moment to comprehend the icy fear that was starting to make its way through his veins before a second strike was heading towards him, air parting around a deadly blade, the slight sound telling the demon exactly where it was aiming. He rolled out of the way, jumping to his feet, wings spreading out like a great, leathery tent, fangs bared at the attacker.

"You're fast," the angel was tall, a bit shorter than Alfred, lean and obviously well trained. Its hair was golden and fell to its shoulders, and its blade was raised threateningly. "Lovely. I like a challenge."

Alfred wanted to say something, to make a remark right back at the angel, but his body froze upon the sight of the huge feathered wings, the pale beauty that he'd ever only seen from a distance but for one time, and he could only give in to the overpowering instinct to run. Giving a powerful leap into the air, Alfred spread his wings and flew up, aware that he had now made himself a target to any angel flying the skies, but he saw no other choice.

The beating of wings after him alerted Alfred to being chased, and he whipped around, hands darting out to grab the blade that had swiped at him once again. His claws scraped across the metal, and he forced it away, the change in weight sending the angel off balance for a moment, giving Alfred time to keep climbing into the air, out of the smoke.

"Running away?" The angel yelled after him. "What sort of demon are you?"

Alfred growled under his breath, the air slowly becoming cleaner.

"Come and face me, you scum!"

Almost…

Alfred let his wings fold in, flipping himself around in mid-air and dive-bombing the angel. It looked shocked, and Alfred felt a brief moment of satisfaction before his claws locked around the blade of its sword, forcing it out of the way. His wings spread out and he lashed forward, watching scarlet bloom on the perfect face. The angel cursed and reeled away, kicking out and preventing Alfred from coming any closer and attacking again. It quickly regained composure and came at him, face twisted in fury.

For the next few moments, the demon and the angel fought, circling around one another and then leaping forward, the precise and practiced movements of the shining blade hitting and clashing with the wild, ferocious attacks of the deadly claws. Alfred's heart was beating too fast, and he tried to relax, to concentrate as adrenaline and blood pumped through him, making his movements fast and quick, but not allowing him to properly process it. His tail lashed violently, fighting for balance in the air. Although the angel knew what it was doing, Alfred had instincts, and his advantage lay in his superior vision and scent.

The angel was sweating, the salty wetness evident on its brow and back, and Alfred could tell from the way his hands were twitching that the blade was becoming more difficult to handle. It hadn't suspected Alfred to be such an opponent, and even the demon himself was pleased to find that he was a match for a creature that he had never fought before, only ever fantasizing and picturing how exactly he could sink his fangs into the deceptively beautiful creatures, to tear them apart limb from limb…

It was the sound of a second pair of feathery wings that caused Alfred to turn ever so slightly away from the fight, to allow his guard down for a mere moment before he was suddenly spinning in a million circles, the world tilting dangerously, gravity effecting him more than ever. His entire body shut down, limbs locking and yet relaxing in unison, a haze coming over his mind.

Alfred had enough sense left to look at his stomach and see a silver blade dripping in scarlet protruding out of it.

~oO0Oo~

Francis really was stupid if he thought that Arthur was actually going to leave him.

… well, it did take some thinking over. Arthur was almost half-way back to the other village when he realized that there was no point. If he kept going, the raid would be over and the Protector he brought back would have nothing to do. If he turned around, he could potentially go back to the town and help, even just a little bit. But… Francis had told him not to.

But then again, when on Etrillium had Arthur ever listened to something Francis had told him to do?

It was with that final thought that Arthur turned around to go back to the burning village.

He couldn't pretend that he wasn't scared. Any demon that could handle fire was a Greater demon, and Arthur had never actually faced one before. It was said that although they were more intelligent, and looked more like humans and angels, the very appearance of one was sinful to look at. Instead of the soft and graceful beauty of an angel, demons were beautiful and handsome in a lustful and seducing way, if you could look past the monstrous features of horns and fangs. They could speak, and they spoke in riddles and trickery, because they had once been able to fool even the gods.

They had dark hearts, and no mercy.

By the time Arthur had reached the village once again, the fire had consumed every building, raging in a storm of heat and flame. The smell of smoke was overwhelming, and he had to fly high above the ground in order to get away from it. He could vaguely make out a crowd of humans who had evacuated, and his heart broke to think of those who hadn't made it out. He wondered if the Protectors of the town had survived…

The moment that Arthur thought that there were no more demons around and that they all must have fled, two shapes silhouetted by an orange glow appeared out of the smoke. The angel nearly dropped clear out of the sky as he began to recognize the techniques of Francis and the almost savage attacks by a Greater demon.

He wanted to shout out, to join the fight, but he knew that distraction could result in death, so he merely allowed himself to drift closer, keeping an eye on the village below. Inwardly, he prayed for Francis's safety.

It was as though the demon could hear his thoughts. Arthur's eyes widened as it turned, attention momentarily drifting, facing him in all of its dark and powerful glory. It was huge, black, with no distinguishable features in the dark of the night and the glow of the fire other than those terrible wings and the curved horns and the way he heard it snarl and hiss…

_Shhhhik!_

Arthur could almost feel the demon's shock as Francis's blade went clean through it, the lapse in focus costing it dearly. It looked down at the blade, and Arthur hadn't realized that he'd flown so close, because in that split second of surprise and almost bemusement, the demon's gaze met Arthur's, and he had never seen eyes so blue.

Blue.

Blue, glowing, eyes.

Everything seemed to stop as the beating of Arthur's heart stuttered. There was no way, no way at all…! Yet, here he was, looking straight into the eyes- such blue eyes!- of a Greater demon.

In slow motion, the blade disappeared as Francis pulled it away, his shout of triumph lost on Arthur. He couldn't move, but he wanted to reach out and catch the demon from falling, to ask it a question, to actually speak to it- but the demon wasn't falling. Its eyes flashed red, and although it could have been the fire, or even a passing thought that the blue had been his imagination, the scarlet glowed before through the muffled silence of Arthur's mind, an ear-splitting shriek cut through.

The demon's wings spread out, and then the dark shape shot into the night, streaking through the sky and towards demon territory, no fatigue shown, no sign that it had been hurt.

"No… no, wait….!" Arthur heard the words fall from his lips, and he started to fly after the demon, but was caught by a pair of arms.

"Let it go, Arthur!" Francis told him. "It will be dead within the hour."

But this was so much more important, so much more important than any consequences.

"You don't understand!" Arthur gasped, shoving Francis away. "You don't understand, I have to go after it-"

"It went into demon territory!" Francis argued, sweaty and bloody from the battle. "You can't go after it, it's not safe-"

Arthur shook his head. "I'm going. Take care of things here, I'll be right back- I just… I just have to make sure of something."

Francis shouted something after him, but Arthur was already soaring through the air, following what little he could see of the demon, feeling that perhaps this was the gods intention.

Blue eyes.

_A blue eyed demon._

* * *

_A/N: I am such a terrible person to make you all wait this long for a new chapter. T.T Again, lost motivation, had some complication in my real life, got a Tumblr and therefore DISTRACTIONS. ((PSSST: my tumblr is "theunitedstatesofbritain. tumblr . com" just take away spaces :3)_

_BUT I DID IT, AND IT'S A MONSTER._

_On Microsoft Word, this baby is just over 12 pages, while my last chapter was just over 9 pages. :3 I am quite proud of myself, but I hope it's not too word-y. _

_It's currently 1:30am and I'm exhausted, but here it is! I wanted to give it to you before I left for a weekend trip to Pennsylvania to visit my Nana (great-grandmother). She's turning 99! _

_On another note, even though I'm not big on "month-e-verseries" or whatever, my wonderful girlfriend and I have officially been a couple for sixth months. (I think it's special cause it's half a year and yeah :3)_

_I think the rest of the story should come a bit more easily, as I've successfully had Alfred and Arthur make eye contact and now they can hurry up and meet. In the next chapter, you can look forward to finding out whom Yao mailed his mysterious letter to, what exactly Arthur plans do to upon when/if he catches up to a very injured Alfred, and what exactly might Arthur's brother do…? _

_As always, please feel free to ask questions and message me! Reviews are love, and I adore reading them- they boost my self-confidence and help me write the story. :) I mean, I got 15 reviews just from a crappy prologue a first chapter. TwT You guys are awesome._

_**KEY POINTS:**_

_- "Guardians": see Arthur. An Angel who guides young angels between the ages of 5-10 years old. A Guardian's job is to show and teach young angels about the culture and beauty of the angel world, along with basic reading, writing, etc. They usually bring them on field trips, taking them to the Palace, to the market, anywhere of significance. At the age of 11, some of these angels will now, with their knowledge, choose what they wish to aspire to be, and will decide on a career to be Mentored in. Other young angels instead go back to their parents and take up shops and other family-owned businesses._

_-"Protectors": see Kiku. The general term for any angel protecting a human or angel city, but usually referred to as an Angel stationed in a human village, city, or town, and charged with protecting it (a member of the Royal Guard protects angel cities, but the term can be used loosely.) Protectors are either solitary, such as small farming communities (see Kiku Honda) or in groups in which the number varies by how large the city is. The human capital of Etrillium has an entire army of angels guarding over it. Protectors live within their designated town for several months before being allowed a vacation leave in their home. They are then assigned a different town, and the cycle repeats. Protectors leave bunches of their loose or discarded feathers hanging around their village to warn demons of an angel presence. They are all trained in battle. The scale of how high on the "important" arch a Protector is based on the city they guard. The highest honor is guarding the human capital, but the level above that is becoming a member of the Royal Guard._

_- "Secondary Protectors": see Francis and Arthur. Secondary Protectors are angels who have basic fighting skills. They are asked in certain cycles to patrol areas between cities in places near demon territory. They are only expected to only fight if necessary, as when and if there is any kind of trouble, they are to get a Protector from a nearby village for help, but nothing is usually/expected to come of it due to the Protectors who are supposed to already have everything under control. It used to be a completely volunteer option, but now, due to low numbers of volunteers, it is required of all angels to do at LEAST one patrol per year. Others stay regular though._

_- Angels catalogue different types of Lesser demons as they appear. Protectors who encounter a new kind of Lesser demons are to tell the Secondary Protectors when they come around for a patrol, so that they can take it back to the Royal Guard._


	4. Extra I: A Fallen Mother

**EXTRA I**

**A FALLEN MOTHER**

* * *

Is this it? Is this the most I will ever be able to achieve? Perhaps I have been truly foolish to think that something miraculous could ever be achieved in my lifetime. Although I had never thought that my life would be very long, I did not want to leave like this, to meet the gods with such a weight still resting on my heart, a mission that to be leaving uncompleted… was this your will from the start, my Lords and Ladies? To take me so quickly, so suddenly? I am not without sin, for no one is without it, but still… your reasons and your intentions will forever remain a mystery to me.

Forever is a long time, though. In fact, I suppose that I will be able to ask you very soon how exactly you plan on making my death a contribution to the liberation of the world that I have lived so briefly in. Not once have I questioned your existence, your presence in my life. I have suffered so much, but thank you for giving me everything I ever needed.

The angel is young, though. Too young to be here, too young to know any better. Please, watch over this angel, for my death is to forever be on the young creature's conscience, and if the tears falling onto my face are any indication of the grief that this child feels, let them know that I harbor no grudge. It must be the first time they've killed a demon, the first time one does not follow the beliefs and the misconception of a blood-thirsty beast that they've grown up believing us all to be… follow them, as they go… perhaps dying alone is better, after all…

Ah… but wait. Oh, please. Please, not him. No… no, my son. My beautiful boy. My reason for existing, my lovely light in such a dark and cruel world… is this your will, Lords and Ladies? To have him see me like this, so cold, so empty… leaving him so alone… he will never forgive me, for I am abandoning him.

… my darling, my darling son. How I love you. Don't cry. Don't let your mama see you cry. I promise to be with you, I promise to be the wind around you, the moon in the sky, every sign pointing you towards food and shelter and life and happiness. Shh, my love. My dearest son….

Oh, your hand in mine is so small, so tender and young. I want to squeeze your fingers in return, I want to hold you as you are now holding me… my lovely boy. You are everything to me. Your mama is so very, very proud of you.

Don't blame them. Don't be angry.

I love you, darling. I love you so much.

Shh…

… everything is going to be alright…

* * *

_A/N:_

_I seem to go off on tangents when I write this story, but I liked this bit so much, I wanted you all to read it!_

_Hopefully this will keep you happy for another week until I'm finished with the next chapter._

_ALSO._

_Go to my profile for A) a challenge! If you answer the questions right, I'll write you a one-shot request! And B) a link to a picture reference of Alfred, Gilbert, and Antonio. :D_


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